Thai students jeer education minister as protests escalate

Hundreds of high school students besieged Thailand's Ministry of Education on Wednesday and harangued and booed education minister when he came to speak to m, in latest in a growing series of anti-government protests.

students demanded a better education and said administration of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha was t competent to deliver it and should resign.

About 400 students wearing school uniforms with white ribbons, a symbol of protest movement, joined in anti-government chants and gave three-fingered salutes, a sign of resistance to oppression borrowed from movie “ Hunger Games." Some tied white bows to gates of ministry.

When Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan and his aides appeared, a rising chorus of jeers began. He tried to talk to some students near front of group, only to be roundly scolded and told he was late so should go to back.

It was a remarkable response to an authority figure from students schooled in a system that stresses deference and respect for elders.

He did as instructed, going to very back of group, n sat down and listened patiently to those re, writing down ir complaints and responding, while sweating heavily in afteron sun.

Six years ago, Nataphol took part in large-scale street protests that helped trigger army coup that brought Prayuth to power. Some student protesters blew whistles as he spoke, a disruptive tactic his own movement had used in 2014.

“I’m happy that y dare to speak out and that y are interested in politics at this , as long as ir ideas are beneficial to country,” he said just before leaving. “y are future and my future depends on m.”

Many pupils seemed unimpressed, jeering him again and making thumbs-down gestures.

Protests at high schools began last week with students showing support on ir campuses for a growing wave of anti-government demonstrations led by university students.

“If we carry on protesting just within our school grounds or people won’t be aware of it. wider we spread awareness better for cause,” one 15-year-old said.

student-led protests are becoming most serious threat yet to Prayuth's rule. As army chief, he seized power in 2014 military coup and n retained it in a 2019 election widely seen as rigged to all but guarantee his victory.

But with key Cabinet posts still in hands of former generals, people are weary of military's continuing influence on running of country and of Prayuth’s leadership and performance.

ecomy has struggled to compete with its neighbors, even before heavy dam inflicted by measures to counter coronavirus pandemic.

administration’s im has also been tarnished by corruption scandals for which one has been held accountable.

student protests have declared three core demands: holding new elections, amending military-imposed constitution and ending intimidation of critics of government.

Protest leaders triggered controversy earlier this month when y expanded ir original nda, publicly criticizing Thailand’s constitutional monarchy and issuing a 10-point manifesto calling for its reform.

ir action was virtually unprecedented, as monarchy is considered sacrosanct and any criticism is rmally kept private. A lese majeste law calls for a prison sentence of up to 15 years for anyone found guilty of defaming king.

One of activists who allegedly made critical remarks, Arn Nampha, was arrested Wednesday and charged with sedition and violation of a public assembly law for participating in a Harry Potter-med protest on Aug. 3.